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UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
OCTOBER 7,1946
Walkouts In Protest To Administration Are Nothing New
By BILL HAAGE
(Daily Kansan Managing Editor)
Student walkouts and mass meetings, the subject of much discussion at Tuesday's All-Student Council meeting, are not new items on the K.U. campus.
Three times in five years University students have held hastily-called mass meetings to attempt to force changes in the University calendar. ◊
Twice the mob action produced nothing but bad publicity and a lowering of faith in the effectiveness of the A.-S.C.
Once the calendar was changed but not, according to official statements, as a result of the demonstration.
In each case, the student governing body was accused of working against student interests. And in each case, the criticism was unfair, for neither the Council nor its foremen, the Men's Student Council and the Women's Self-Governing League, ever had has power to decide which days should be holidays and which days are school days.
The division of the school year into class days and holidays is up to a committee of the University Senate, a body composed of all high-ranking faculty members.
The calendar committee which prepares a calendar for Senate approval is made up of four faculty members and two students.
Following last year's walkout, Chancellor Deane W. Malott's seven-member student-faculty walkout committee, while refusing to punish individuals charged with inciting the 1945 revolt, recommended:
"To the event student spirit indicate an urge for a cessation of school work, the leaders of that spirit shall proceed in sufficient time to insure due consideration of the matter and through their regularly constituted student government officials for such action as such student official may deem proper.
"That the student council submit to the senate a proposal that it declare a policy of granting to the student body its willingness to allow
one holiday a year on such occasions as the student body may designate.
"That the dean of student affairs make known fully and repeatedly to each incoming generation of students the full significance of the University's attitude in the matter.
"That henceforth it be made clear that in the event any student knowingly participates in any manner in an unauthorized demonstration on the campus, such students shall be subject to severe penalties, the maximum being dismiss from the University."
After last year's walkout, the Senate decided in a special meeting that the "fixed calendar will be retained by the University
Reasons given for rejecting the idea of a "movable" holiday included:
The University is too big to have an indefinite schedule.
Difficulty would be found in adding a school day to the schedule to make up for the holiday.
Determination of the date of the movable holiday would prove to be a "continual source of irritation between and among students and faculty, in view of previously scheduled events such as lectures, concerts, examinations and conferences."
The 1941 walkout came after a 20 to 16 football victory over the Kansas State Wildcats.
Students took an unscheduled holiday, paraded to town, picked up a casket, chalked Chancellor Malott's name on it, and conducted mock funeral services over it in the city's South Park.
Early in the afternoon, the chan-
celler was burned in effigy in front of Frank Strong hall. Later, after a dance in the Union, the chancellor was cheered by 1,500 students who joined him and faculty members to watch football practice.
The 1942 blow-up came when students realized the war-time speeded-up calendar gave them only four days to travel home, observe Christmas, and return to the University.
Friday, Dec. 18, 1942, a bright, sunny day, a mass meeting of students marched to the chancellor's office in Frank Strong hall. When the chancellor appeared, the students cheered and sat down to listen.
The chief executive told the students the calendar was fixed and any change in it would have to be made by the Senate. He promised he would ask the Senate to reconsider.
STARLING
On Sunday, Dec. 20, a committee of students representing campus organizations met, stated the mob action was the action of a minority rather than an all-school action, and asked the Senate to reconsider.
FURNITURE COMPANY
the stairs to the roof to blow the whistle again.
The Senate rejected the proposal to lengthen the Christmas holiday, saying the "disgraceful actions of the students in the riot this afternoon" had virtually tied its hands.
One voice shouted, "United we stand, divided we flank."
Chancellor Malott pointed out that "if you take action against an official ruling of your student governing body, it will indicate a complete failure of that body." In response to his question, "Do you want to follow your student government's decision?" some students answered "Hell, no!"
The students then gathered together some band members, marched up and down the campus, tried to get the navy students out to join the walkout, and then broke up.
From there, the mob went to the power plant where plants blew the whistle. At the first tug, the chain broke and several men ran up
By early Monday morning, roads were made nearly impassable by an ice and snow storm, and the Senate in a special meeting considered the road conditions, the fact Enlisted
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The chancellor's speech ended with more shouts of "We want a walkout" and the mob surged out of the building.
The 1945 walkout began, like the 1941 edition, with a football victory over K-State Nov. 17.
Several students were charged with inciting the mob to action. They were let off without punishment when they declared they had only been in on the middle part of the grapevine telephoning which passed on information regarding the proposed walkout.
Immediately after the announcement of the council's decision, a mob of students estimated at 2000, moved into Frank Strong hall to the chancellor's office, chanting, "We want a walkout!"
Reserve Corps men were being called to service, and extended the vacation period to eight days.
Yells of "Did we beat K-State?" answered by the roar "Hell, yes!" and "Do you want a walk-out?" with the same reply thundered through the halls.
The All-Student Council met at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 19, and voted 14 to 9 against a walkout.
928 Mass.
Spanish Club Will Elect Officers At First Meeting
Band members participating in the walkout were threatened with dismissal from the University band and names of drivers of cars were obtained from state license bureaus in Topeka, Jefferson City, and other state capitals. Neither group was penalized. however.
And there the matter rested until the past week.
The Spanish club will hold its first meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday in 113 Frank Strong hall.
The meeting will be devoted to organization and the election of new officers. Only those students who have taken 10 hours of Spanish and are taking the language at the present time are eligible for membership in the club.
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